What He Wouldn't Give
by LOTR Sparkling Pippin
Summary: A short song fic. Takes place right after Elizabeth and Will's kiss. It's about Norrington's true feelings towards the match of blacksmith and governer's daughter. R


A tremendous show had gone on that day at the gallows, and not a single soul had noticed it. Norrington, tall and proud, swung open the door to his house and stepped inside, swinging it shut.  
  
-It started off so well  
  
They said we made a perfect pair-  
  
A long breath escaped from his lips, along with a few tears. Everyone had agreed, it had been so perfect! It was not only a smart match, but he truly loved Elizabeth. Why else would he have given her up?  
  
-I clothed myself in your glory and your love  
  
How I loved you  
  
How I cried.-  
  
His heart beat madly each and every day when he was blessed with her presence; however, it seemed that his feelings were unreturned. It was him who noticed the little things about her, after all. Her lips were rarely closed even when she was not speaking, which, as he recalled with a morbid laugh, had been a rare occasion. She could come up with solutions at the drop of the hat, and Elizabeth, his sweet Elizabeth, was deeply enamored with adventure.  
  
It would not make his heart ache so much if he had not believed that they would be married and live happily ever after. Well, he knew now that there were no fairy tales. Good guys certainly did not finish first, no matter how much they loved the princess.  
  
-The years of care and loyalty  
  
Were nothing but a sham it seems  
  
The years belie we lived a lie  
  
I love you till I die-  
  
Shaking fingers that grasped his belongings loosened and let the items fall to the floor. Chocolate eyes struggled to see through the ambush of tears, and Norrington fell to his knees, blindly grabbing for his things. A sob suddenly pushed its way from his lips. It was a sound that conveyed his loss and sorrow without bothering to hide the weakness. His now constant sobs showed how truly vulnerable and alone the man was.  
  
-Save me, save me, save me  
  
I can't face this life alone  
  
Save me, save me, save me...  
  
I'm naked and I'm far from home-  
  
How could he go on without his Elizabeth? It was clear in his mind that he simply could not. There was no living without Elizabeth, or at least without her love. The girl had given no sign of gratitude after his benevolent act towards that blacksmith. She had not bothered to think of how likely it was for him to give something up.  
  
She certainly knew how he was in battle. He was simply not the man to give up anything in order to gain ground. Take what you can and give nothing back, right? If he wore black and disobeyed the laws would she have loved him? Norrington could see no difference between himself and that blacksmith, but whatever it was that he did not have would no longer haunt him. After all, who could live with a shattered heart?  
  
-The slate will soon be clean  
  
I'll erase the memories  
  
To start again with somebody new  
  
Was it all wasted  
  
All that love?...-  
  
His fingers no longer shook, they had purpose again. Everyone needed a reason to live, so there was nothing in the man's opinion that he needed to live for any longer. If he were to love again, however unlikely that was, wouldn't the object of his affections just refuse him again? Or trick him again? No, there were none left for him.  
  
-I hang my head and I advertise  
  
A soul for sale or rent  
  
I have no heart, I'm cold inside  
  
I have no real intent-  
  
What he wouldn't give to see his darlings face one last time, though. What he wouldn't give.  
  
-Save me, save me, save me  
  
I can't face this life alone-  
  
Tears splashed the swords blade as he picked it up, studying the blacksmiths fine work a final time.  
  
-Save me, save me, save me...  
  
I'm naked and I'm far from home-  
  
Somewhere, deep within him, he still, despite everything, believed her love was with him. It was what slowed his actions right then, and it was what drove him to them.  
  
-Each night I cry I still believe the lie  
  
I love you till I die  
  
Save me, save me, save me  
  
Don't let me face my life alone-  
  
The man he used to be would say he was being silly. The man he used to be did not believe much in emotions or rash actions. But that man, it was not who he was. Norrington was as weak. He was vulnerable. And he was hopelessly in love with an impossible love.  
  
-Save me, save me, ooh...  
  
I'm naked and I'm far from home-  
  
So with a final thrust, a final lingering memory of Elizabeth, the blacksmiths work killed its last.  
  
*.*.*.*  
  
Author's Note: The song I used was 'Save Me' by Queen. I wrote this from, well, no where really. I had been hoping for a few fics about characters OTHER than Jack and Will so I thought I might write one of my own. I'm a review whore, so tell me whatever it was you thought of this. Ah, and for you tech savvy (hah...savvy) people, I'd appreciate a quick lesson as to how to italicize something in FF.net. 


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